Automatic photographic apparatus including a masking system



Oct. 7, 1969 c. w. CLARK 3,471,233

AUTOMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS 'iINCLUDING A MASKING SYSTEM Filed April 6. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEFJTOR Camus Nmmm (mm OM,C,Q ATTORNEYS Oct. 7, 1969 c. w. CLARK 3,471,233

AUTOMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC- APPARATUS INQLUDING A MASKING SYSTEM Filed April 6. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN E NTOR Cannes Hmuam CLARK BY I Z CQ Q M I ATTORNEYS United States Patent M AUTOMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS INCLUDIN G A MASKING SYSTEM Charles William Clark, 24 Manchester Square, London, England Filed Apr. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 628,943 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 7, 1966,

Int. Cl. G03!) 27/28 US. Cl. 355-125. 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This-invention relates to a photographic machine of the kind comprising means for exposing a sensitized sheet to provide one or more latent images thereon and conveying apparatus for then conveying the sheet automatically to treatment apparatus in which it is treated to develop and fix the image or images. An example of such a photographic machine is described in the present applicants British patent specification No. 1,053,854.

In such machines the finished photograph has been marred by the appearance around the edges, and between adjacent photographs, where there are a number of separate exposures on the same sheet. In such machines as hitherto made there has been no satisfactory definition between the edge of the exposure and the edge of the paper, and between adjacent exposures where there are a number of exposures, except for rather indefined grey and black patches or lines, so that the exposures have tended to merge into the edges of thesheet and, where there are several exposures, into one another. It is an object of the present invention to improve the appearance of the final product consisting of a sheet of sensitized material bearing the image or images.

A photographic machine of the kind referred to ac.- cording to the present invention includes means for producing a white border around the exposed image or images on the sensitized sheet comprising apparatus whereby the part of the sensitized sheet to which the border is to be applied is exposed to light from flash producing apparatus prior to development and fixing.

A feature of the present invention is a method of producing a white border on a sensitized sheet in a photographic machine of the kind referred to according to which the part of the sheet to which the border is to be applied is exposed to light from flash producing apparatus prior to treatment in the treatment apparatus.

In one construction of photographic machine of the kind referred to according to the present invention there is associated with the conveying apparatus at least one stationary mask disposed where the exposed sensitized sheet will pass adjacent to it so as to be momentarily covered by it except for a narrow area or areas closely surrounding or constituting the edge portions of the exposed area or areas of the sensitized sheet, flash-producing apparatus arranged to illuminate the side of the mask remote from a sensitized sheet so conveyed past the mask by the conveying apparatus, and actuating means arranged 3,471,233 Patented Oct. 7, 1969 to cause operation of the flash-producing apparatus automatically at the moment when the exposed sheet is substantially in register with the mask.

It will be understood that the expression in register with is used above to refer to the moment when the mask occupies the position in which it masks the whole of the sensitized sheet except for the narrow area or areas re ferred to.

The invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable to a photographic machine in which the sensitized sheets employed are rectangular and the machine is constructed so that a sensitized sheet can be caused at will to receive either a single relatively large image covering substantially the whole of its area or a number of smaller images each covering a portion of such area (such smaller images then conveniently each having an area representing a rectangular quarter of the complete exposure areas), and selector mechanism being provided by which an operator can set the apparatus so as to produce such a single relatively large image or a number of smaller images at will.

When the invention is applied to such a photographic machine there is preferably associated with the conveying apparatus two stationary masks disposed at longitudinally displaced positions in relation to the conveying apparatus, one of said masks being arranged to cover momentarily the whole of the sensitized sheet except for an edge portion, while the other of said masks is formed so as to cover momentarily the whole of the sensitized sheet except for narrow bands lying between or constituting edges of the individual images, while means controlled by the selector mechanism is provided to cause the flash producing apparatus to be operated automatically when the sensitized sheet is in register with the first mask when the selector mechanism has been actuated to cause the production of a single large image and to be operated when the sensitized sheet is in register with the second mask when the selector mechanism has been actuated to cause the production of a number of smaller images on a sensitized sheet.

In any case the means for causing the flash producing apparatus to be operated automatically at the required moment conveniently comprises a micro-switch arranged to be actuated by the sensitized sheet itself when it reaches the appropriate position during its conveyance from the exposure apparatus to the treatment apparatus.

In a preferred construction the masking apparatus comprises at least one opaque container containing flash producing apparatus and having a translucent side along the exterior of which the sensitized sheet passes, and a sheet or sheets of opaque material in the exterior of the translucent side forming the stationary mask. Preferably the side of the opaque container of translucent material is in the form of a plate of transparent material. To help prevent or minimise undesirable fogging an opaque plate or plates may be mounted on the inner side of the plate of transparent material, the dimensions of the opaque plate or plates corresponding to those of the opaque sheet or sheets of material on the exterior of the plate.

The conveying apparatus includes a number of belts for conveying between them the sensitized sheet and there are upper and lower belts on each side of the masking apparatus by which the sensitized sheet is conveyed to and from the masking apparatus respectively, the lower belt in each case extending under the masking apparatus while the upper belt stops short before the masking apparatus. Thus the sensitized sheet is conveyed under the masking apparatus and preferably the belt is supported at this position by two or more rollers positioned between the translucent plate. The distance and/or pressure below the belt and the rollers is preferably adjustable.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view partly in cross section of a photographic machine according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view partly in cross section of the masking apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of FIG- URE 2.

The photographic machine is housed in a cubicle, part of which is shown at 1 in FIGURE 1, the subject of the photograph being positioned forwardly of the section through which the view of FIGURE 1 is taken.

The upper part of the photographic machine contains a film storage magazine 2 the quantity of the film of which is indicated by a gauge 3, a feed down mechanism indicated generally at 4 for feeding a sensitized sheet of paper into an exposure position in a camera 5, selection mechanism arranged either to take one large exposure by use of a single lens system to produce a single large latent image to cover substantially the whole of the sheet, or a quadruple lens system providing four rectangular images each covering a rectangular area of the sheet, the four exposures either being made simultaneously or with a pause between them for the subject to adopt different poses. A mirror angled at 45 shown at 6 reflects light from the subject into the camera which is at 90 to the subject.

After the exposure or exposures have been made by the camera upon the sensitized sheet, the sheet is ejected from the camera into a V-shaped slot 8 and thence into conveying apparatus for conveying it first to masking apparatus indicated generally at 9 for producing a border either around the edge portions of the single large exposure or around the edges of the four small exposures, and then to treatment apparatus for developing the latent image.

The conveying apparatus comprises upper and lower belts 10 and 11 which between them carry the sensitized sheet to the masking apparatus 9 and further belts 12 and 13 to convey the sensitized sheet from the masking apparatus to treatment apparatus, indicated generally at 14, where it is processed by being passed through a series of tanks, such as 15, containing various processing fluids, after which it is passed to drying apparatus 16 where it is dried by a fan before passing out as a finished print through a slot 17 in the side of the machine.

The upper belt 10 extends around a roller 18 the left hand edge of which is arranged so that the edge of the belt is vertically below the bottom of the slot 8 while the other end of the belt passes around a roller 19 adjacent to the side of the masking apparatus 9. The left hand end of the lower belt 11 passes around a roller 20 which is positioned to the left of the slot 8, so that the sensitized sheet issuing from the slot will be collected by the belts which then passes over a tensioning roller 21 and further rollers 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27. The rollers are mounted on shafts the ends of which are rotatably supported in supporting plates 29 and 30 arranged on either side of the belts, and between which the masking apparatus is also supported.

The masking apparatus 9 comprises two rectangular box like containers 31 and 32 arranged in series, the first container 31 being arranged to form a mask around a sensitized sheet upon which a single large exposure has been made while the container 32 is arranged to form a mask around a sensitized sheet and between the separate images when four separate areas have been exposed. Each container comprises a top 33 and side walls 34 of opaque material, and a base in the form of a plate 35 of translucent material, such as perspex into the lower side of which is embedded a sheet of stainless steel 36 flush with the lower surface. The dimensions of the stainless steel 4 sheet 36 corresponds exactly to the exposed area of th sensitized sheet which is to be retained inside the mask and upon which a single exposure covering the whole sheet has been made. On the upper side of the translucent plate 35 is a plate 37 of opaque material of similar thickness to the plate 35 and of the same dimensions as the stainless steel plate 36 and correspondingly positioned on the upper surface. Mounted in the container 33 is a flash tube 38 arranged below which is a light-proof baffle 40 so that only indirect light from the flash tube 38 falls onto the sensitized sheet so as to prevent undesirable fogging. A recess is provided in the further or lower end of the translucent plate 37 into which projects the arm 42 of a micro-switch 43 and arranged so that as the leading edge of the sheet of sensitized material reaches the arm and moves it actuates' mechanism to cause the flash tube to operate. The switch 43 is connected to the camera 5 so that it will be rendered operative only if a single large exposure has been made. Eccentrically mounted rollers 47 and 48 are arranged to bear on the top of the plate of opaque material 37 and are movable about their eccentrics to determine the pressure with which the plate 37 bears against the belt passing over the rollers 22, 23, 24, and 25. v

The masking apparatus in the container 31 is substantially the same as that in the container 32 except the lower part of the container is formed by a translucent plate 35A having four rectangular sheets 47 of stainless steel in its lower surface and spaced from one another by gaps suflicient to produce the desired area of border between the four small exposures. Situated on top of the translucent plate 35A are four rectangular blocks 48 of similar lateral dimensions to the four sheets of stainless steel 47 and of approximately the same thickness as the plate 35A. Similar eccentrics 42 and 43 are arranged to bear on the upper surface of the blocks 48.

The belt 13 below the plate 35A passes around rollers 50, 51, 52 and 53 in a similar manner to the belt 11 except that the belt 13 is in the form of two separate belts 11A and 11B separated from one another by a gap of approximately /2.

The arm 55 of a micro-switch 56 extends upwardly through the gap in the belt into a recess 57 in the plate 35A and is arranged to be tripped by the sheet material when it passes in a similar manner to the switch 43, the switch 56 being connected to the camera 5 to be rendered operative only if four separate areas of the sensitized sheet are exposed.

The upper belt 12 is carried in similar manner to the belt.10 around rollers 58 and 59, while in addition a tensioning roller 60 bears on the belt 12 instead of the lower belt as with the belt 11. The lower belt 13 is carried round further rollers 62, 63, 67 and a tensioning roller 65. The film is thus transported from the masking apparatus 9 between the belts 12 and 13 to the treatment apparatus.

One or more of the rollers on each belt is driven through appropriate gearing from an electric motor (not shown). The apparatus embodying the invention may include means for applying to the sensitized sheet an indication of the origin, of photographs produced e.g., the initials of the manufacturer of the apparatus or of the person or organization using the apparatus. Such indication is conveniently given on the part of the sensitized sheet consistituting the surround provided by the mask or one or each of the masks and is preferably only applied when the mask employed for the multiple exposure is used. In this way it is possible to provide below each of a position where the mask is ineffective, so that the required initials or other indication appear in black or nearly black on the appropriate part or parts of the approximately white surround or bands provided by the mask.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic photographic machine capable of producing one or a plurality of images on a sheet of photosensitive material, masking means for producing a mask around said images, said masking means comprising two stationary masks disposed at longitudinally displaced positions, one of said masks being arranged to cover momentarily the whole of the sensitized sheet except for an edge portion when one image is produced while the other of said masks is formed so as to cover momentarily the whole of the sensitized sheet except for narrow bands constituting edges of the individual images when a plurality of images is produced, separate illuminating means for illuminating the side of each of the masks remote from a sensitized sheet when located adjacent each of the masks, separate actuating means arranged to cause operation of each of the illuminating means automatically at the moment when a sensitized sheet is substantially in register with one of said masks, a selector mechanism and means controlled by the selector mechanism to cause one of said actuating means to operate automatically when a sensitized sheet is in register with the mask associated with that actuating means.

2. A photographic machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said masking means comprises two stationary masking apparatuses disposed at longitudinally displaced positions, each masking apparatus comprising an opaque container containing said flash producing means and having a translucent side along the exterior of which a sensitized sheet is located, the translucent side of the opaque container comprising a plate of transparent material and an opaque plate mounted on the inner side of the plate of transparent material, said stationary mask comprising a sheet of opaque material on the exterior of the translucent side and the dimensions of the opaque plate corresponding to those of the opaque sheet of material on the exterior of the plate.

3. A photographic machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said masking means comprises two stationary masking apparatuses disposed at longitudinally displaced positions, each masking apparatus comprising an opaque container containing said illuminating means and having a translucent side along the exterior of Which a sensitized sheet is located, an opaque baffie being mounted below the illuminating means in said container and said stationary mask comprising a sheet of opaque material on the exterior of the translucent side.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,734,780 11/1929 Simjian. 3,215,056 11/1965 Campbell 77.5 3,377,913 4/1968 Grant 9573 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner R. L. MOSES, Assistant Examiner US Cl. X.R. 

